Applications for the 2026 cohort of this program will open on February 13th, 2026.

The MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions has partnered with the RASI program, which provides learners that face systemic barriers with research mentorship and research opportunities.For the upcoming MAP 2026 Summer Student Program, please apply to the COS RASI (Community of Support Research Application Support Initiative) program as a RASI mentee for access to the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program. For information about the RASI application process, please contact the MAP Summer Student Program Coordinator: Martha.Taylor2@unityhealth.to.

**Please note that the deadline to apply for the RASI program is Monday, February 2nd. Registration to the RASI program is mandatory, in order to gain access to research opportunities within the MAP Summer Student Program. Summer research opportunities will be accessible on February 13th, 2026 on the RASI portal.**

MAP is recruiting Black, Indigenous, and other undergraduate racialized students to join our team as summer students.

Summer students work with MAP scientists and staff on health equity research projects.

About the program

The MAP Summer Student Program is an opportunity to:

• Gain research skills, experience, and mentorship, to help prepare for graduate school or other career goals
• Access professional development resources available through MAP and St. Michael’s Hospital
• Participate in skill-building workshops related to professional development
• Connect with other undergraduate students who are interested in health equity research

Students are paid $18.86/hour, 37.5 hours per week. The program is 12 weeks long, starting June 1st, 2026.

Who should apply

Eligibility criteria:

• The MAP Summer Student Program is open to applicants who:
• Are interested in building research skills and exploring a career in research that aims to reduce health inequities
• Have limited (little to no) prior research experience
• Self-identify as a Black, Indigenous or other racialized person
• Are currently enrolled in a university/college undergraduate program in Ontario, Canada, in the Fall 2026 following the Summer Program.
• Available to participate full-time (37.5 hours/week) for the full 12-week program (June 1- August 21, 2026)
• Able to work in or around the MAP offices in downtown Toronto, as needed. Hybrid or remote positions may be available. If you are an Indigenous student living in a remote community or on a reserve, travel support for in-person activities may be available. Please see the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
• Please note that if you are selected to participate in this program, you will be required to submit proof of three COVID-19 vaccinations as per Unity Health Toronto Policy.

Application process

The application deadline to the RASI program is 11:59 pm EST on February 2nd, 2026. This is a requirement in order to gain access to the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program application once it goes live on February 13th, 2026.

Once you have been accepted as a RASI mentee, you will join the RASI network of mentorship and summer research opportunities, one being the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program.

On Friday, February 13th, the profiles and research project descriptions of the MAP PIs (Principal Investigators) recruiting students for the MAP Summer Student Program will be made available on the RASI Summer Research Access Portal. As a RASI mentee, you will be able to apply to the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program by applying to work with a MAP PI and choosing one of their projects. You will be able to apply to up to three MAP PI projects you would love to work with between February 13th – February 27th, 2026.

A research team member from MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions will reach out to you through email if you have been selected by a MAP PI for an interview. Interviews will be conducted by the PI’s research team, and a member from the MAP Anti-Racism & Equity Advisory will be a panelist at the interviews. Interviews will run between March 9th – March 20th, 2026.

PIs will send out offers between March 23rd – March 27th, 2026. After receiving their offer, students must accept between 24-48 hours.  Please note that the RASI portal will only allow students to accept up to one summer research opportunity, so please choose wisely! After accepting an offer, students will not be giver greater access to other roles.  

Dates	Tasks
February 2, 2026	Application deadline to become a RASI mentee
February 13 – February 27, 2026	Students apply to summer research positions
March 2 – March 6, 2026	PI teams screen student applications
March 9 – March 20, 2026	PI teams interview students
March 23 – March 27, 2026	Students accept offers between 24-48 hours of receiving them
June 1- August 21, 2026	MAP 2026 Summer Student Program

We hope to make this application process as simple as possible. As a reminder, due to our new partnership with RASI, the entire application will be done through the RASI portal – a one-stop shop. For any questions regarding the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program or applying to become a RASI mentee, please send an e-mail to: martha.taylor2@unityhealth.to.

The program starts on June 1st, 2026.

FAQs

• I would like to become a RASI mentee. Where can I find application details?
  • Please reach out to martha.taylor2@unityhealth.to for application details.
• I recently finished my undergraduate degree. Am I eligible to apply for the MAP Summer Student Program?
  • Unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply.
• I am currently in medical school. Am I eligible to apply for the MAP Summer Student Program?
  • Unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply.
• I will be starting medical school in the Fall 2026 following the MAP Summer Student Program. Am I eligible to apply?
  • Unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply.
• I was a past student in the MAP Summer Student Program and would like to participate again. Am I eligible to apply?
  • Although we greatly appreciate your interest, you are unfortunately unable to apply. The MAP Summer Student Program is only open to students with limited (little to no) research experience. 
• Can we apply to the MAP 2026 Summer Student Research Program directly, without applying through RASI?
  • Given our partnership with RASI, interested students must be RASI mentees first. Once students sign-up for RASI, they will then gain access to the RASI portal, through which they can apply for the MAP 2026 Summer Student Research Program on February 13th, 2026.
• What happens if I don’t apply by February 2, 2026?
  • Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to apply for the MAP 2026 Summer Student Program. There will be no extensions granted to apply for the RASI and MAP programs.
• What are the health equity research programs available to select from this year?
  • The participating Principal Investigators and their respective research projects available will be made visible on the RASI portal on Friday, February 13th, 2026. You may visit the Our Scientists page MAP website for a current list of scientists and their research project to garner a sense of the types of health equity projects our centre prioritizes.
• Why are travel supports to attend in-person activities being offered to Indigenous students living in remote communities or on reserves?
  • MAP is committed to the growth of Indigenous students and learners, and understands that anti-Indigenous racism has resulted in barriers to success for Indigenous students, particularly those who live in remote communities and on reserves. Therefore, in order to mitigate the transportation and financial barriers that could hinder these students from attending our in-person activities, MAP will ensure that funds are allocated for eligible Indigenous students. 
• What is a RASI mentee?
  • RASI mentees are students who have successfully applied to gain access to the COS RASI initiative and RASI Summer Research Access Portal.
• I have accessibility needs. Do you consider the accessibility needs of students and offer accommodations for the application process and throughout the program? Is the portal disability-inclusive?
  • Accessibility is considered as part of the selection process as a demographic group for RASI. It can inform some of the mentor matches made and the content developed. The portal has minimal color contrast, simple copywriting and easy navigation.